Food and Wine

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Food and Wine

Bulgarian cuisine is simple, but also one of the tastiest in Europe. It uses a lot of flavour-packed local vegetables and in case you are a vegetarian, you will have a wide variety of non-meat dishes to choose from. There are a lot of Orient influences implemented with peasant-style simplicity in the traditional cuisine. Bulgarians use a lot of herbs and every single herb goes with a different dish. Different regions in Bulgaria have their local, typical specialties. It is always worth discove

Bulgaria is the birthplace of the bacteria required for the preparation of yogurt. This priceless microorganism is scientifically called Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. Being a powerful antioxidant, Bulgarian yogurt is a basic ingredient of a Bulgarian-style health diet.

Drinks

The most popular Bulgarian appetizers are the Slivova (plum brandy), Grozdova (grape brandy) and the Mastika (anise). Bulgarians always start the meal with a salad.... and a small Slivova. In fact, the brandy is so powerful that locals only drink it while eating a salad. It is believed that the oil and vinegar dressing absorbs some of Rakia’s strength.

Wine history in the country goes back to prehistoric times. The ancient Thracians were exceptional viticulturists and wine-makers. That is why Homer speaks of the ships, which every day brought wine from Thrace to the camp of the Greeks at Troy. Wine-making is deeply rooted in the traditional Bulgarian culture. There are 5 different wine regions in Bulgaria today - Northern Region: the Danube River Plains, Eastern Region: the Black Sea Coast, Sub-Balkan Region: The Valley of the Roses, Southern Region: the Thracian Valley and the South Western Region: the Struma Valley Region. Make a note of the names mavrud, melnik and rubin. These are the most interesting red wine varieties. Spend some time to visit a winery and enjoy a wine-tasting session while travelling in the country. You won’t regret it.